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Book of the Month

In his book The Bruised Reed 16th/17th century puritan Richard Sibbes expounds on an important principle from Isaiah 42:3 "a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench." These words were prophesied about Jesus who indeed take bruised and broken sinners—enemies even—and nurtures them into saints—sons even! We as Christians know this; we believe this; we have experienced this in our own lives, and we profess it to be true. We proclaim to others the nurturing nature of our Lord Jesus. However ... we make so little of nurturing bruised and broken Christians back to health. We make so little of restoring a fallen brother or sister back to belief. We make so little of fanning the flames of one whose light has all but gone out.

It is part of our job as Christians to nurture and our brothers and sisters as Christ does. This is done through who prayer, through God's Word and through true Christian fellowship. This cannot be accomplished but with Christlike humility and patience. I am challenged in that direction every time I read this book, and I commend it to you with a word from Richard Sibbes himself. "It were a good strife amongst Christians, one to labour to give no offence, and the other to labour to take none. The best men are severe to themselves, tender over others."